Sediment: small solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living things Erosion: occurs when running water or wind loosen and carry away the fragments of rock Deposition: process by which sediment settles out of the water or wind carrying it Compaction: process that presses sediments together Cementation: process in which dissolved minerals crystallize and glue particles of sediment together Clastic Rocks: sedimentary rock that forms when rock fragments squeeze together Organic Rocks: forms where the remains of plants and animals are deposited in thick layers Chemical Rocks: forms when minerals that are dissolved in a solution crystallize
Outline
From sediment to rock
erosion
forces break up and wear away rocks on earth's surface
forces include
heat
cold
rain
waves
grinding ice
deposition
after sediments are deposited process of compaction and cementation change sediments into sedimentary rock
sediments include
shells
bones
leaves
stems
other remains of living things
compaction
after millions of years sediments build up
layers are heavy and press down on the layers beneath
after, compaction happens
then, the weight gets really heavy so it squeezes tightly
becomes sedimentary rock
layers are visible
cementation
during compaction, minerals in rock dissolve in water
goes into spaces between particles of minerals
millions of years for compaction and cementation to change loose sediments into solid sedimentary rock
Types of sedimentary rock
clastic rocks
organic rocks
chemical rocks
Clastic rocks
shale
common
forms from tiny particles of clay
feels smooth
splits easily into flat pieces
sandstone
forms from sand from
beaches
ocean floor
riverbeds
in sand dunes
easily absorbs water through holes
conglomerate and breccia
Organic rocks
coal
forms from the remains of swamp plants buried in water
limestone
made from shells or skeletons (that have calcite) of
coral
clams
oysters
snails
when they die, shells pile up as sediment on ocean floor
after millions of years pressure begins, then dissolved material comes out of solution
calcite cements shell particles and forms limestone
chalk is most common
Chemical rocks
forms when minerals dissolve in solution and crystallizes
forms from mineral deposits left when seas or lakes evaporate
Table of Contents
5.3 Sedimentary Rocks
Vocabulary
Sediment: small solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living things
Erosion: occurs when running water or wind loosen and carry away the fragments of rock
Deposition: process by which sediment settles out of the water or wind carrying it
Compaction: process that presses sediments together
Cementation: process in which dissolved minerals crystallize and glue particles of sediment together
Clastic Rocks: sedimentary rock that forms when rock fragments squeeze together
Organic Rocks: forms where the remains of plants and animals are deposited in thick layers
Chemical Rocks: forms when minerals that are dissolved in a solution crystallize
Outline
Diagram